My partner and I have been on several cruises before, mostly Princess. We wanted to try Cunard, so decided 12 nights for a winter sun break in the Canaries would fit the bill. We chose a balcony cabin in the standard Brittania class. Embarkation: the fastest we’ve ever got on board! From dropping off the car to stepping on board it took 17 minutes. Lovely check in staff and a nice smooth process. First Impression: Queen Elizabeth is gorgeous to look at. The Grand Lobby area is beautiful, with plenty of seating areas and plush carpets. The artwork suits the style and there is a calm and relaxed atmosphere on board. This ship is very quiet during the day, with more guests coming out in the evening. Always lots of space to sit down and relax. Cabin: balcony cabin on deck 8 (the highest deck for accommodation), towards the back of the ship. The cabin was pretty much the same as any other, however we were greeted with some sparkling wine, which was a nice touch. Lots of space to move around and a comfy bed. There was also a sofa, desk and wardrobe. The wardrobe had lots of hanging space, but less room to put things like undies and other folded items. The bathroom was standard sized, with a shower. Other reviews say the shower is small, but it was no different to other ships. Lovely toiletries included! Dining: we selected the early sitting in the Brittania restaurant for dinner and were placed on a table of 6. The food was beyond our expectations in both the main restaurant and the buffet. Every meal at dinner was fabulous, with plenty of choice. The waiters would chat and were always friendly, something we haven’t seen on all cruises. We ate breakfast in the buffet each day as the food was so good. We found the buffet was quiet early in the morning, getting very busy between 9 and 10am. The additional restaurants of Verandah, now a steak house, and the various alternative dining choices were excellent and worth the money. Entertainment: this cruise was definitely aimed st the over 50s, with entertainment certainly more geared towards older people. Ballroom dancing was on every night, and the theatre featured acts such as opera, piano and other singers. There was a comedian on one night who was great. On the whole, the entertainment was the weakest part of this cruise. The cruise director, Chris was boring as hell. Every day, the activity schedule was virtually the same as the previous day, with most evening activities centred around listening to music and ballroom dancing. Overall, we loved this cruise but there were definitely areas for improvement. The drinks are very expensive on board, with most alcoholic drinks costing upwards of $10. We bought a soft drinks package each, which was good value for our needs. We found that the crew were much nicer on this ship, with pretty much all crew greeting passengers around the ship. The onboard shops had a weird, unfriendly vibe. We strolled round the clothes shop, and the assistant stalked behind us constantly, making us feel unwelcome. All the shop staff were overly cautious of people looking at or touching their stock. We would definitely book with Cunard again, as the positives were so massively outweighing any negatives! Will also investigate some dance lessons so we can take part more... Read Less

We chose this cruise having previously travelled with celebrity and expecting the Cunard name to be synonymous with quality. It seems that the name Cunard was acquired but most of the quality of service and cache associated with the name was lost. The buffet food was excellent but in all honesty was the only area other than the general style of the ship, that came even close to surpassing that which was experienced on the celebrity cruise we took in the Autumn. It was extremely annoying to many guests to discover that passengers on the same decks and with identical cabins, booked within days of each other, had paid up to £3k less on a 14 day cruise. We all know that discounts are available and repeat custom is often rewarded, however discounts on the same product of almost fifty percent are an insult to full fare paying passengers. Overall extremely disappointing and we will certainly not be travelling with this company again.. Cabin TV choice was very limited with no pay peri view or movie channels. Formal dining ( second sitting) felt rushed and portions were small. Staff were often unhelpful and occasionally aloof. Cunard need up their game with services and the attitude of some staff because this was not up to our expectations.. Read Less

This was our second cruise and the first time on Queen Victoria, our last one was on Queen Elizabeth. We found we preferred Queen Victoria it has a lovely feel about it. We stayed in a Queens Grill Penthouse suite which was very nice and spacious and our butler was lovely. We had priority Embarkation and Disembarkation. The Queens Grill restaurant was also first class, the waiters were very polite and could not do enough for you. There was a very good choice of food, however if you preferred something that was not on the menu this would be cooked for you. We were also very lucky with our dining companions and had a fabulous time at dinner with many laughs. Christmas morning there was a service in the theatre by the Captain and crew, there was also a Carol Service (with a snow machine) which was a nice touch. The shows on board by the Cunard entertainers (singers and dancers) were particularly good and on 3 occasions we treated ourselves to a box in the theatre with champagne and chocolates and a nice souvenir photograph of the dancers. We thoroughly enjoyed the excursions we had booked particularly La Palma which is very quaint, we also enjoyed the excursion to Casablanca and were escorted round the Mosque then on to Ricks Cafe with memorabilia of the film Casablanca. The excursion in a quaint old tram in Lisbon is not to be missed, we were served Port wine and little custard tarts which are a local speciality and were delicious.However it was too choppy around Madeira to have a tender and were rather disappointed to miss this port but it did not stop us enjoying the fireworks on New Years Eve that were viewed from the ship. There is nothing we can fault with this ship and are looking forward to booking The Queen Victoria again for Christmas and New Year 2018-2019. Many Thanks to all the staff who made our holiday so enjoyable. Read Less

Chose this trip because of itinerary and good experience we had on prior Oceania cruises. With the funds spent to refurbish this ship, we expected more. We found no WOW factor anywhere. Having recently traveled on the Marina, we found the food here to be disappointing. We found several of our shore excursion guides less than satisfactory -- some did not keep group together, some lacked good English. Excursion in Funchal touted an embroidery factory where we would see process of making the beautiful Madeira table clothes, etc. Instead we were taken to a shop to purchase expensive merchandise. Restaurants -- Tuscan Steak excellent, Red Ginger very good, Jacques Bistro lunches very good, Terrace good, Grand Dining Room disappointing on more than one occasion. We often felt more motion on this ship, even in calm waters. Special entertainers were very good, the Sirena sextet of singers and dancers was same old/same old. Overall assessment -- disappointing. Read Less

We had last minute inside 8175 Space is limited but we spent such a short time in it,so what Bathroom same as balcony cabin,it serves a purpose,so.... Its reasonable as we spent only time for sleeping/washing Only downside is lunchtime the pool grill food smells in cabin If wind wrong way even more! Ship wonderful Great public rooms Guests where like 70+ Lido food was never really hot Scrambled egg cool all the time Bacon sausage should be cooked more Booked Queens Grill next time!! Brittania food much better Choice in evening is great You can always get something you really like We thought it had improved Tea /Coffee end of meal nice Entertainment was good/but dancing is so dated! Bang good in Queen's room,big band night was so popular Lots of return guests,some spend half their life on board Some of the people constant moaning Don't come back!!! Go to Carnival!! Read Less

Our second trip on QE and Cunard once again delivered a fantastic voyage. Long may Cunard NOT offer an all inclusive drinks package - even though my husband likes to drink but the lack of such an offer does seem to maintain the high standards on board. We had a standard balcony cabin, the same one as before 6211 which was right at the end of the corridor to the back of the ship. Beautifully quiet as no-one passing by and the 2 cabins at the rear of the ship are Queens Grill Suites. Its a bit of a walk from the lifts, but we preferred it. Cabin was lovely, light and bright and modern in decor, lovely linens and spotlessly clean. No bath, just a shower cubicle but very nice shower-room with nice toiletries too. We loved this ship the first time we sailed on her, and were equally impressed on this occasion, so much so we have booked again for 2018. If you cruise only once in your life and enjoy luxury, great live music (big band), ballroom dancing and a generally relaxing atmosphere, then make Cunard your choice. You will not be disappointed. Read Less

This is the best ship out there for ever thing staff were great. Queen Grill food and service is the best at sea. all the port were good Entertainment very good Gym was great and all the class very friendly ship. Captain was good fun with his daily weather report, bar staff and waiters always had time for you. It was great still to have formal nights. the best thing is CUNARD DO NOT GO ABOUT TRYING TO SELL SELL SELL like other company's.The cabin was always very clean and drinks ready for you 24/7 towel were nice and soft no noise in the cabin even when the ship was moving, the queens grill sun deck is great lots of room to move your sun lounger around. Dinning and food lovely nothing was any bother to the staff they made anything you asked for, the whole cruise was outstanding and looking forward to the next one Read Less

We booked this cruise 18 months ago, in fact before we did the 2014 Christmas/New Year cruise. Last time we were in Britannia Club which was excellent, but we thought that we try the grills and booked into the Princess Grill. Embarcation was very smooth, we were in our cabin within 30 minutes of arrival. The cabin was spacious with plenty of drawer space and a nice balcony. We were on deck 4 and we noticed a compressor noise early in the morning whcih we think was connected to when the ship was tendering - this was alarming the first time it occured. The Princess Grill restaurant was vey nice and the service was excellent as it was throuhout the ship. We were a little disappointed with the menu choices as the signature grill dishes (Dover Sole etc) wee not available on a daily basis. In fact, Dover Sole only appeared twice during the cruise. Again no dessert flambes (which we had daily in Britannia Club), but when I mentioned that Britannia had Crepe Suzette one evening which wasn't on our menu it was made table side the next evening. We didn't have any difficulty ordering off menu provided you gave 24 hours notice. As we dont eat meat it was important to us to be able to order off menu simple things as an alternative to fish. Of course we also had access to the grills lounge and terrace which is very pleasant. It should be noticed that only two lifts go up to the grills so occasionaly there could be a wait for a lift. As I mentioned service throughout the ship was excellent - whether it be the cabin steward, restaurant stewards, public room, deck or pursers areas. Entertainment was very varied, from acrobats to a member of the Rat Pat so there should have been something for everyone. Again this year I thought that the production shows were very, very poor, although the boys and girls work extremenly hard. Cunard really ought to copy the P&O production shows which are far superior. I understand they are produced by a different company. The weather was very good in the Canary Islands and Madeira although during the morning of the second day in Madeira it did rain but cleared up in the afternoon in time for a wonderful midnight fireworks display to welcome in the new year. The first two days and last two days weather was not so good with rain and wind. We love the ship, but wish that it had a proper cinema so that if we didn't fancy the show we could watch a film (we don't want to sit in our cabin). Other than the fact that the bar prices are high we had no complants and had a wonderful cruise and are booked again for July this year. By the way I was amused by people who say we don't like sea days - to me that is what a cruise is all about - sea days interspaced with some ports of call. It takes all sorts! Read Less

This was our first cruise ever and it exceeded our expectations. From the start Staff went out of their way to make us feel welcome and catered to our every need. Personnel could not have been friendlier or more courteous and we ended our cruise feeling we were leaving friends. So many things to do both at sea and on the tour excursions. All meals were superlative and the "Behind The Scenes" Tour offered an opportunity to really get to know what goes on in the everyday running of the ship - a real insight. The only quibble was with the White Star Luggage Service where the luggage pick up from home was scheduled for a certain day but DHL did not do the pick up as advised on the document. Apart from this, we would definitely choose Cunard and, particularly, the Queen Victoria again. Read Less

We booked an early savings fare for an inside cabin as we were on a budget. The cabin and shower room was small but perfectly adequate and spotlessly clean. The beds and pillows were the comfiest I have ever experienced. ALL the staff could not have been more helpful. The food was first class in the Britannia restaurant, we did not feel the need to go to any of the ones you need to pay a supplement for, the Lido self service restaurant could get a little busy at times but food there was again excellent. We did not have a drinks package, the wine was a little pricey so we kept to the cocktails which were varied and delicious, cost ranging from $8 to $12. All of the ports on this cruise were within easy walking distance from the ship so we did our own thing with tours from the local companies offered at the ports which were good value. There are one or two snobbish people on board but overall the majority of passengers were lovely. We were a little worried about the formal nights but felt at ease in a tux, dark suit and a smart dress. There is tea, coffee and cold drinks available at all times in the Lido restaurant, and breakfast, snacks and tea etc. were available through room service at no charge. Read Less

We embarked from Southampton on 12th December 2016 on a ten night all inclusive cruise. This all inclusive cruise was a first for us with Cunard and entitled us to all drinks under $9.00. As many of you will recall bar drinks prices on Cunard tend to be at the top of the range so having this facility was a major factor in a our enjoyment of the cruise. We have not see any repeat of this offer since! Queen Elizabeth is still a very beautiful ship and retains her elegance. Embarkation was very smooth and our luggage was with us in very short order. We had three days on board to enjoy the facilities before reaching Lanzarote. Unfortunately, we could not dock here due to a heavy swell and headed for Gran Canaria instead where we had an overnight stay. This gave us extra time for a good look round the town and explore the cathedral area. Even in December the temperature was very pleasant for sightseeing and catching a beer on the beach. On arrival in Madeira we opted for the ship excursion which covered a sightseeing bus trip after doing the sledge run. Never having done this before it was well worth it and great fun. The trip was well organised and gave a good start to Madeira. We were dropped off in town for some free time after a brief visit to a Madeira wine visitor centre. Final port day was in La Coruna. The ship docked very close to the city centre so it was easy to explore. We decided to walk to the lighthouse. Very interesting place to visit and well worth the walk. The food and service provided in the restaurants and bars was to a high standard, especially in the Verandah. The service in the Golden Lion was always very slow. All the shows we attended were good with no complaints from us. Interestingly the final show by the entertainment team had to be moved to the next night due to choppy seas and was unsafe for the dancers to perform. Absurdly the replacement act was a juggler who juggled knives on a uni-cycle! He was extremely funny and one of the best acts we have seen on a cruise ship. Cunard has made changes to the casino area to accommodate extra single cabins. This means the casino area has been reduced and results in a bottle neck when the theatre is emptying on the port side. Disembarkation was pretty smooth and no problems collecting our luggage. In all an excellent cruise again Read Less

We have just returned from a 10 night cruise on Queen Elizabeth. We sailed in a P2 suite (4096). Great position on the ship with larger balcony so would recommend the cabin and that next to it (4094). There is a crew access point to deck 4 opposite 4098 so would avoid that one. Link below shows a video of 4096 and then also the Grills Terrace. https://youtu.be/mxxc4_iaTGA There has been recent comment re the new PG menus that were recently launched on QE. These are not yet on QM2 or QV. Firstly can I say that we had a fantastic PG experience the service and food hit the mark for us - we travelled as a party of 6 with a fantastic window table. It reminded us of the things that we came to expect on our first few cruises some 16 yrs ago on the small P&O ships Oriana / Aurora. Naturally all that time ago we were paying some £2,000+ per person for a balcony prior to the industry wide discounting and service / quality cuts that are a natural consequence. I managed to scan many of the menus for evening dinner. These can be viewed via the link below. There is also a copy of one of the two A la Carte menus. These rotate each week. Food is always subjective so they will work for some people and not for others. For us and our party they did. Breakfast and lunch menus are as they have been for many years so no real changes there - still excellant. https://app.box.com/s/ey73o2zzyft8wpj58znz2cqja5uf25vl The biggest difference in the new menu is the significant deteriation in the A la Carte offering. That said on each evening (except formal nights where there are stronger menus) there is a Cunard Signature Classic offered. These are in essence the favourites from the old A la Carte and include Dover Sole, Beef Wellington, Lemon Sole, Gressingham Duck, Rack of Lamb etc. There is no A la Carte desert menu and the cheese trolley remains. For me two real omissions were no Lobster Bisque or Escargots on the PG menu. Perhaps they are on a 14 day cycle? It was strange that Escargots were on the Britannia menu. That said the Maitre D' managed to organise both for us - so off-menu is possible but defiantly not encouraged in PG. Whilst off-menu ordering is not encouraged the mixing of courses - mains as smaller portion starters, multiple starters, lunch menu items to be served in the evening (with advance notice) and additional choices of vegetables were all easily arranged. The latter was needed as virtually every night asparagus featured. Personal views of our party was also that beef featured too much on the menu (very good quality) at the expense of chicken and pork. Several dishes are prepared tableside. Others are just finished off by the Head Waiter or Maitre D' essentially to get the correct dish finish - well done, medium well etc. At other times the flambe trolleys are used to warm plates and sauces. Breakfast and lunch are as we remember form QE2 and QM2 over the last 10 yrs as is afternoon tea. We took this several times in the Grills Lounge and also on deck. We had not experienced this before on deck so that was a treat and surprise - with the waiters bringing the afternoon tea trolley around both Grills Terrace decks. Also worth of note is that coffee and tea are available at no cost in the Grills Lounge - nice coffee it is too! Complimentary orange juice and iced water is available on deck 12 also. For UK travellers there are no tea / coffee making facilities in the PG suite - however room service is free and punctual. Plugs in the suite were one UK 3 pin and 2 USA 2 pin is I remember correctly. Hope that helps with the current changes. We certainly found a significant differance to Britannia (better) where we completed a QM2 transatlantic in July this year. Read Less

Although we have cruised before this was the first time with Cunard on the Queen Elizabeth. Before we even started our holiday the customer service staff were exceptional, I would even say faultless, professional beyond expectation. Travelling from Southampton was a joy, no queues, very helpful staff and we were on board within minutes. The welcome on board was exceptional, and staff couldn't have been more helpful. The balcony cabin was spotless and we received a warm welcome from our room steward. Sail away complimentary wine was delicious. We found all public areas to be of very high standard, very classy art decor which wowed at every turn. Staff in the bars and restaurant were superb and trained to very high standards, we could not fault any aspect of the customer care on board. Food was fantastic. As a very critical diner, I was unable to find fault. The Britannia restaurant was such a pleasant place to dine, and the staff friendly, professional and worthy of a 5 star rating. Even in the Lido, we were blown away by the choice and quality of all that was on offer. The specialty nights were well worth a visit, and even late into the evening you could pop up for a midnight snack of freshly prepared steak with fries or even a night time cocoa. The Veranda restaurant was unbelievably good, with service that could not be beaten for an exceptionally reasonable cover charge. Entertainment was good, and there was plenty of activities throughout the day whilst on board. Overall, what we enjoyed the most was the lovely atmosphere. It was such a calm and chilled out environment, we found a new level of relaxation. There were no crowds, hustle and bustle, instead we found the ship to be quiet and extremely serene at times. The formal nights were enjoyed by the majority of the guests and these proved a real treat as they were followed by ballroom dancing in the luxurious Queens Room. There was just so many things about this ship that we loved that we have booked same cruise next year. Read Less

My husband and I have travelled a lot. Approximately 30 cruises. 20 on Princess then decieded to give the other cruise lines a chance. This was our second Azamara cruise and we thouroughly enjoyed it. We ate at the speciality restaurants and signed up for the new Asian dinner as well as the Chef"s Table. Food was delicious. Highly recommend it. We had a great time in the Disco most evenings getting to know the staff and fellow cruisers. We enjoyed the white night the most. Eric and the other performers were fantastic. Loved the music. Never did so much dancing. Relaxing by the pool during the day without many announcments was nice. Very relaxing. We have booked our 3,4 and 5 cruise with Azamara. I quess we are converted. Great staff, I cannot say enough on how the made you feel like family. See you in April 2016. Read Less

This was the second time on the Anthem this year. We were on the ship for the maiden voyage in April and couldn't fault anything. We had a great cruise just perfect. Our holiday in October was a bit different. Embarkation was quick, and the cabin was clean. I noticed that the ship looked scruffy and dirty in some areas. Windjammer restaurant, tables were dirty and food on floor. One day when we went for our dinner there was no cutlery. We also had a drinks package, but you were charged for water. We were also charged for a couple of drinks and when we pointed it out the waiter was very rude. Entertainment was good, We will Rock You, The Gift and Spectres Cabaret being excellent but the house band Rock the boat, good first time we saw them but this time they looked like they couldn't be bothered. Luke Arrowsmith the cruise director, dull and boring. I wouldn't have believed the negative reviews about the Anthem but now I have experienced some of them. Disembarkation was fine. Royal Carribean needs to get their act together. Read Less

Our first cruise on QV but my second with Cunard as I sailed the QE2 10 years ago, however there have been some changes in 10 years as you would expect, but nothing drastic. The QV welcomes you with open arms and being a smaller ship is very easy to navigate and find your way around. we had a ocean view cabin on deck 1 toward the front, so we did feel the motion when the seas became somewhat high, although it just served to lull us to sleep. Luckily we are not bothered by the motion and it wasn't that bad although others moaned and groaned, I never once dropped a crumb or splashed a drink, so it was moderate and manageable. We learned that some just like to moan, but our room was spotless and remained so as our steward was ever attentive and worked like a Trojan all day. The public areas were also spotless and the vigilance by the crew with the hand sanitizer, meant that it was very doubtful anyone would become ill on board. The food was excellent, as was the service in the Britannia Restaurant. We really enjoyed the Lido and the many choices of breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, especially the scones...delicious and the evening meal variety was all fabulous, although it was a little busy at times and there was no queues, just polite pushing in and out of the various areas, but it was convivial and seemed to work ok. Tables kept clear and clean so altogether a great place to eat whatever and as much as you wished. We had cocktails and pre dinner drinks in the Chart Room accompanied by a Pianist then to the Royal Court Theatre for the late show followed by night caps in the Commodore club or a dance in Hemisphere's. We attended the Balls and enjoyed watching those dancing with the thought we really must learn some steps ourselves for next time. The shows were great and delivered with much enthusiasm and vigour, even on a heaving stage! We weren't brave enough to chance our luck at the Casino, but we did play the slots a couple of times and enjoyed the atmosphere in the Golden Lion pub too on occasion.. We enjoyed our fortnight on the QV immensely and have booked again for a Med cruise next year. We couldn't find fault at all apart from the rather intrusive 'upselling' during dinner of wines and wine tasting. We enjoyed the trips on shore and can recommend the Cable car and Toboggan excursion in Madeira although not for the faint hearted, but you get a great view of Funchal. Buy some wine on shore and have some pre drinks in your cabin whilst getting ready to cut costs. Ask the Purser to take off your $11.50 service charge from your on board account and take care of your own tipping for those you feel deserve it, normally the room stewards and the table waiting staff at dinner. Don't prebook the Spa treatments as if they haven't sold enough they hold a flash sale which I found out to my detriment as i'd paid almost double two months before for a massage...which was good it has to be said but again beware of upselling of oils and different procedures, they recommend you have etc. HAve a good trip, take it for what it is, a floating 5 star hotel with excellent service and ignore the boring who have nothing better to do than moan even after they boast its their 10th time on board!!! Read Less

This was our second cruise with Cunard - the first was on the Mary on the first leg of her World Trip. The ship is beautifully appointed. We started off the cruise in a balcony cabin but after four days we moved to a cabin in the Princess Grill. As a consequence we ate in both the Brittania Dining room and the Princess Grill dining room and I have to say the food was excellent in both. The staff on the ship were pleasant and for the most part very helpful. The dining staff in both dining rooms were extremely pleasant, helpful and went that extra mile. However, I am not sure this is the cruise line for us. The variety of lectures was limited. The entertainments on sea days were very limited - no movies, no cookery demonstrations or interesting and stimulating lectures. They did have Anne Widdecombe who was excellent. And all that dressing up every other evening. Who can be bothered! I have a large selection of evening and cocktail wear but when I'm on holiday I want to be casual so for that reason this cruise is not for us. Furthermore Cunard are dumming down instead of elevating the content of their product. In future we will cruise on smaller ships with open dining and definitely no dressing up. Read Less

This was our first time on Cunard. We embarked the QM2 in Cape Town which was shambles due to large number os people embarking and a colour blind co-ordinator. We were offered tea, coffee & biscuits but some lunch would have been nice, even if only a sandwich. The ship itself is a bit tired but everything was clean and nothing was too much trouble for the staff who were cheerful, helpful and polite. There was so much to do on this ship. Shows, talks, concerts, quizes, games, instruction classes, library, spa etc etc. We were not bored! Even with all the choices of food I did find some of the meals unpleasant. Horrible gravy like sauces on beautiful pieces of cooked fish, or meat, which I think should have been served separately. Even the vegetables were soaked in this gravy sauce. Good vegetable dishes were very lacking all round. I do think the QM2 could do a lot better. The Spa area was very good but ridiculously expensive. I once visited the hair salon for a blow dry and was given the third degree about the condition of my hair and what product I use which was completley unnecessary and stopped my going again. Sadly we also caught colds but managed to shake it off but were left with the Cunard cough which did linger even after returning home. Our ports of call were Walvis Bay, Gran Canaria and Madeira. We did a tour of the Namibian desert and dunes in Walvis Bay. In Gran Canraria we took the two-stop bus vsiting Maspalomas and Puerto Mogan. In Madeira we took the shuttle bus to Funchal and spent time exploring on our own. I realise that the QM2 likes to call itself a liner rather than a cruise ship but it was a cruise. Overall we had a nice time and it was certainly an experience. Would I go on Cunard again? No, mainly because of the standard of food and because there are better cruise liners offering the same but better. Read Less

Having read (yet again) some bad reviews on this ship,we really are having a problem understanding who these people are. This is our third cruise on Oceana and we thought,this time,we are going to keep our eyes peeled for all these dirty tables,litter,bad service and rude staff.I'm pleased to announce,we encountered none of the above.This ship is spotless,the staff bend over backwards to accommodate,if you do meet one who is maybe not as polite as you may hope for,please,give them a break?They work seven days a week,thirteen hours a day and for nine months on the trot,wouldn't you have the occasional bad day? We've seen first hand some of the rudeness from some passengers they've to put up with and not once have we seen them be rude back and believe me,they would have every right to. Our only gripe this time round was that P & O seem to be dropping their standards when it comes to the dress code,only three black tie nights out of twelve and the rest casual.Now that to some passengers is old jeans,leggings,t shirts and baggy jumpers.Would you turn up to a 5* hotel dressed like this?We're glad to say,the majority of passengers still turned up beautifully dressed but P & O need to beware,as we're not sure who they are trying to cater to these days.We really don't want to dine next to a table of drunken louts,singing and talking loudly and on one occasion,we had to.On a previous cruise,one table had a food fight!! We are going to monitor this over our coming cruises and if it worsens we will be looking to cruise with another fleet such as Cunard.We are definitely not snobs and all classes should enjoy cruising,it's just that some people don't quite know how to behave and there doesn't seem to be anyone on board to uphold the ships standards. All in all though we had a wonderful cruise, albeit a bit choppy at the Bay of Biscay and a few green faces(including mine) Don't be put off by some reviews,this ship is not "dated" nor is it filthy,the staff are amazing and our small concerns definitely didn't ruin our trip,we will be returning for our Xmas cruise again this year. Read Less

We did a back to back starting on the 7th December and finishing on the 29th December. Embarkation was okay, as we had booked the Hilton cruise package we had to arrive when the coach brought us which wasn't the time on our ticket. We got there about 12 and all the booking/reception staff were all at their stations with everyone waiting over half an hour before they started loading by priority passengers then followed by the ABC cards etc. As they have now changed the security layout at Ocean terminal there were more scanners and no delays, excellent. The ship lived up to our expectations, decorations in the grand lobby were lovely, elsewhere there were Christmas trees and more poinsettias than we have ever seen in one place at one time. Easy access to everything on board however over the two cruises it was the coldest ship we have ever been on. If they didn't wan't to turn the heating up all they had to do was switch off the air con, despite mentioning the coldness nothing was done about it. We had an oceanview cabin on lower deck 1 which was spacious with a large settee, plenty of wardrobe space, bed was so comfy and the pillows to die for shame about the TV, so old and dated it really needs to be replaced. We were in Brittania restaurant lst sitting and was okay certainly no better than P&O or Princess. Entertainment ,well, we had Leon St Croix on the first cruise and Sally Sagoe on the second cruise as cruise directors. The entertainment team compared to P&O and Princess were poor, one or two did stand out but the majority were just along for the cruise. The Cunard singers and dancers were just average they could have danced and sang the same to each production they were that boring. We did have a couple of good acts The Opera Boys for one. Back to the CDs, Leon was okay Sally should hang up her boots, what a waste of space, just our opinions. The cruise did not say anything about them being a 'ballroom' cruises but every night the Queens room wasn't used for anything other than ballroom, the odd occasion was the resident band Synergy doing a spot e.g Abba night. We feel this venue could be used far more productively if used for other than dancing all the time. Disembarkation was an absolute shambles. No senior officers in sight only junior and entertainment staff marshalling people. We have cruised with 8 different cruise lines and 30 cruises and Cunard nil points. As you can guess they won't be getting any more of our money. This is just our opinions as experienced cruisers. Read Less

Christmas aboard this ship was just perfect. Totally thrilled to be upgraded to Queens Grill penthouse on deck 4.Worth checking these out, midships so great location. Butler service is discreet and so helpful, this is the Cunard standard. Same in Queens Grill restaurant, great service and very relaxing.More than enough to do during sea days including getting technical help with my new laptop! We book Cunard for the dining experience so cannot comment on evening entertainment, we spent happy hours wining and dining then coffee and scotch on our balcony. Total relaxation. Did not book port tours as we had done some research and it was easy to use the transfer bus then shop and explore at our own pace. Top tip, park husband and ipad in cafe with free internet then go shopping! Looking forward to our next voyage already. Read Less

The last time we sailed with Cunard was just before QE2 was withdrawn from service. We loved QE2 and had high hopes that we would enjoy Queen Elizabeth just as much. Our ticket said embarkation was at 12 noon. We arrived just before 12 and embarkation was chaotic but once on board things settled down. The ship is beautiful, everything we expected. The cabin was fine and the cabin steward did his job. We didn't ask anything extra from him and we kept the cabin tidy. We were in the Britannia Club restaurant and the service was absolutely first class. We wondered if it was worth paying the extra to dine in the Britannia Club, as it had been pointed out by other members, we could dine daily in the Verandah Restaurant for less, but we had no regrets whatsoever and would book the Club again. Dining between 6.30 and 9pm and the extra choices was the clincher for us and the atmosphere in the restaurant was like being in a Club with other diners saying good morning or evening when you went in. Entertainment is very important to us and we love the production shows but were we disappointed. The Royal Court singers and dancers were awful (the worst we have ever experienced) as were the shows themselves. Whoever commissioned them should be sacked. What happened to the music of Cole Porter, Irvin Berlin and the other greats. Not a note from them! All the dancers did was run back and forth across the stage and jump in the air. The shows on P&O are far superior. The guest entertainers were a varied bunch and just fair although we loved the piano entertainer. Daytime activities were extensive. I enjoy playing Bridge (although not very good) and the Bridge instructor was first class.Although I had been warned beforehand the drinks on board are very expensive but we lived with that. We found the service around the ship to be very good. We were blessed with calm seas for the entire 14 days although it would have been nice to have seen more sun. Would we travel on the ship again? Well we have booked for Christmas again (made the booking prior to travelling Christmas just gone) but we are a little concerned about the entertainment and wondering what to do. The entertainment on QE2 was far superior especially New Year's Eve. I suppose we will go again as we loved the ship. Value for money? We enjoyed it, but that's up to others to decide. Read Less

Following a 12 night trip on the Queen Mary 2 to the Canary Islands my wife and I feel impelled to express our concern about falling standards on Cunard's flagship. This was our fifth trip on the QM2 and we feel that the ambience of the ship has deteriorated from five to three-star. We twice had to summon a plumber when the flush mechanism failed on our cabin toilet, the second time as my wife was preparing for the final formal evening of the cruise. We had to miss the special dinner as a result. Nothing was done about an intermittent fault in the ceiling down-lighters. They periodically switched themselves off, then on again. We complained about the lack of carpet cleaning and were informed that this was because of a minor Norovirus outbreak although we fail to see the link with a stomach bug. We had to repeatedly wash our cabin drinking glasses and request that clearing crockery and dirty glasses should be an automatic part of cabin cleaning. Bedlinen was not changed often enough for a 12-night voyage. We were disappointed with the updated navigational details given on Channel 41 of our cabin TV. These are difficult to follow for the layman. Previous graphics showing the progress of the voyage, wave height etc, were excellent. Contacting 24-hour room service was difficult. The number frequently rang without reply or went to a recorded message to "try again later". We understand that the cruise was fully booked but this failed to meet the high standards we have always appreciated. We found that espresso coffee was no longer available from room service. In its place we were served strong "stewed" ground coffee. I also noted economising in the Britannia restaurant when I was served a Grand Marnier soufflé that lacked spirit. Because of the Norovirus outbreak staff were serving in the self-service area. In the evenings, the dessert section was at the rear of a taped off stand. Staff had to be asked to explain what they were. Several spoke heavily accented English making communication difficult to follow. Surely a menu of desserts could have been placed where passengers could make a choice. The graciousness we expect on a Cunard cruise was sadly lacking on occasion. The company sadly need to raise its sights.   Read Less

An autumn get away to the sun was required, hence we chose the 14 night cruise to The Azores , Madera and the Canary Islands. We travelled down to Southampton the night before staying at the Chilworth Manor ( using their cruise and stay package, which includes Bed, Breakfast, 14 nights car parking, free tea/ coffee on morning of departure , late check out and taxi to and from the ship- excellent value). We had an evening meal at the Chilworth Arms that was very enjoyable and great value. We travelled to the ship by taxi on the Sunday morning and arrived at 11.20. We are Elite members and walked straight to the check in. By 11.30 we were sipping the complimentary champagne onboard the ship- OUTSTANDING . We were told that the ship was going in for a re fit in May 2015, however I could not see what needed changing!!!!!! We had an inside cabin (8173) on deck 8. The cabin and shower room were very generous, however my wife felt that a bit more storage space would have been helpful. The cabin was kept in immaculate condition by Ramon and his team. We ate at Murano on 3 occasions - brilliant food and service Tuscan Grill twice - enjoyable but not as good as Murano Bistro on 5 once - we were disappointed with the "Crepes" as they were more like thick pancakes. Moonlight Sonata Restaraunt on the other nights- food was generally good including fillet steak, Lobster and T Bone steak. However the second week of the cruise the food was served Luke warm and the waiting staff always seemed to be in a rush due to looking after to many tables. Breakfast was delivered to our stateroom every day -on time and with a big smile Cafe Baco was always crowded on sea days with to many people occupying tables for long periods of time instead of moving on and giving others a chance for a relaxing coffee. Entertainment was varied and of good quality . We watched 9 shows and really enjoyed the variety. Captains Club benefits were enjoyed and much appreciated. The trip from Southampton to The Azores was very rough and many passengers were suffering from sea sickness. The staff were excellent at cleaning up several "accidents" and keeping the ship clean and tidy. The weather calmed down however the sun did not shine -it was cloudy and warm for most of the cruise. We took a 5 hour island trip on the Azores - nothing much to see. Madera - we did the toboggan and cable car tour -excellent fun and value Gran Canaria - we did whale watching -no whales but plenty of dolphins and flying fish Tenerife - wine tour -again good fun and value Lanzarote- what a tour - camel ride and fire mountain -Excellent tour of the national park ( they could have filmed the moon landing there) , demonstrations of the volcanic activity and a camel ride - what more could we want. fuerteventura-5 hour tour -nothing much to see- however at $26 pp it was ok. I would stay on the ship if we went to the Azores or Fuerteventura again. The ship then sailed towards Lisbon , however due to bad weather the captain was forced to miss out Lisbon and Dock a day later at Vigo- the change was handled well by staff - with a full programme of activities arranged for the unexpected sea day. Vigo- not much to do so we spent the day relaxing in the Aquaspa as most people were ashore. Arrived back in Southampton, carried our own cases and was in a taxi by 6.25am -excellent disembarkation.   Read Less

Somewhat disappointed with our cruise on the QM2. We never eat in buffets so were limited for choice for lunch on embarkation day, to their Sir Samuel’s café. Nice coffee ( charged for) very limited snacks. On the matter of food the servers in the Britannia restaurant, in the main, had no clue as to table etiquette, leaning across guests, not serving or retrieving plates from the correct sides. Again about the food, so as to restrict our intake, we always, when on cruises, for breakfast , use room service and slip a couple of dollars to the deliverer, never had a word of thanks. This room service was a bit hit and miss, as in our case, once there no knives another time just one cereal spoon, another time food items missing and another time as our time slot had passed I had to phone room service to chase the delivery. Lunch in the Britannia was so poor I had to send some fish back which I can only describe as having been cremated. Dinner, well I had beef three times and each time it was a failure. Mind you their starters and sweets were served very prettily. One good thing where Cunard did excel, over other cruise lines we have been on, was their entertainment. All the shows in the theatre were top rate. It’s a shame that the theatre itself had lots of seating with restricted view. As my wife is fairly wheelchair bound we had to get to the theatre very early, so as to get an accessible seat. It was then quite comical, in a sad way, when we observed loads of people bobbing up and down and moving about the theatre trying to get a good seat. All in all it’s back to other cruise lines for us. A shame because we liked the dress code on Cunard (sometimes abused with no control) Perhaps we are just of another generation, when right was right and wrong was wrong, with no if’s or buts in the middle.   Read Less